Broken Pride
by FlyingColors
Summary: Kovu and Kiara's new son gets separated from the pride. He is found and brought up by another pride. When he's found, where will he belong?


DISCLAIMER: The characters (Except for ones not recognised from the movies) are copyright to Disney. I do not own them.

The golden orb that was the sun finally sank behind the horizon, the soft glow of flooding light ending for the day, replaced with a cloak of darkness that turned friendly day into fearful night. All was silent. The tension in the night was thick, so thick that the animals of the land knew that something was bound to happen. The uncomfortable night rose as a tranquil morning, the sun rising as it always did, but this time with a new prince. Ancient Rafiki climbed the heights of Pride Rock, to meet with this new monarch, to honor him with a blessing that was given to the great princes and princesses of the past. With his old hands, he gently pulled the cub from his mothers paws, and took him to the ledge to reveal him to the animals, whom where gathered below. Kovu and Kiara exchanged excited, fond glances and turned to watch their son be revealed as the new prince. And, thrust into the sky to be seen by all, was the young lion A young replica of his father, He was dark furred with a small tuft of a mane, ink black that shone brown in the sun. An odd marking lay on his left cheek, a crescent moon shape and black in color. The day was placed in history, as the day that who would one day rule the Pride Lands, was born.

Months passed, the cub growing and thriving, healthy as a young lion should be. Sefu, which he had been named from his parents, lay at the mouth of the cavern of Pride Rock, doing his best to bear the heat that covered the land, dry and uncomfortable. His sides rose and fell rhythmically to his breathing, calm and serene. He was bored, until a blur of sandy tones ambled right into him. Her dark brown eyes sparkled in excitement.

"_Midra!_" Moaned Sefu. "Stop doing that!" He snarled, swiping a paw her way.

"Sorry, its just ...you're so easy to bother!" She giggled, tail flicking. She sat down beside him. "What are you doing?" She asked, studying a bug that crawled across her path.

"Being bored ...what does it look like?" He said with a dramatic sigh. "There's nothing to do around here, it's so dull..." He dragged a claw in the sand. Midra smiled.

"I bet I can beat you to the water hole," She challenged. Sefu accepted.

"Anything to stretch my legs," He said, and dashed off to the water hole, Midra in hot pursuit. They laughed playfully, enjoying themselves finally.

"I beat you," Said Sefu, panting.

"No way, I beat you by a mile!" Argued Midra. The two chatted for a while, running across the sand covered land, realizing not where they were headed, which was straight into danger.

The hyenas watched the two friends walk blindly into their trap. They circled them slowly.

"Uh ...Midra ..." Interrupted Sefu. "I-I think we're in trouble..." He gazed wide eyed at the cackling dogs that had them captured. Midra stared timidly, unlike her usual brave self. She cowered behind Sefu, at a loss of words.

"Come here, little ones..." Said a particularly large hyena. "...we'll make sure you're death is quick and painless." Her cruel eyes gleamed. The cubs huddled together, the hyenas moving closer in on them. Sefu closed his eyes, preparing for the worst.

"Not on my watch." Said a deep voice from behind. The hyena's eyes widened with fear, and the cubs whirled around. Kovu snarled at the hyenas, backed up by the rest of the pride, and a very angry looking Kiara.

"You're outnumbered, beasts... I suggest you beat it." He growled sternly. The hyenas would not leave without a fight. They launched into battle with the lions, a mess of roars and cackles. The two helpless cubs watched what went on with great fear.

"Run!" Shouted Kovu to the cubs, trying his best to fight three hyenas upon him. The cubs took off running, not stopping until the battle was well out of view.

"What way back to Pride Rock?" Said Sefu, glancing around, panting heavily.

"I don't know... I wasn't looking." Replied Midra. Sefu groaned.

"We're _lost_..." He heaved a sigh, slouching down.

"We've got to keep looking..." Said Midra, though she was quite worried herself. They both stood up and wordlessly kept trotting in a direction they prayed would take them back home, to safety.

They traveled until night fell, darkening their path so they could trek no more. They lay under a great baobab tree, as clouds rolled in. A storm was brewing. Surely the pride couldn't hunt for them in such a storm, as the rain fell and pelted the ground, wind chilling them to the bone. They huddled together, doing their best to get a good night's sleep, which was a near impossible task in the weather they were stranded in.

"If only we didn't leave the Pride Lands..." Complained Sefu, teeth chattering as he shivered. Midra was silent. They could not see each other in the darkness, only the faint moonlight and occasional bolt of fork lightening illuminated the frigid night. Midra opened her eyes, only to see a golden figure in front of them.

"What are two cubs doing out here in the storm?" Said the sodden figure. Sefu gazed up at him fearfully, then remembered nothing more, fainting from cold and weakness. When he awakened, he found himself lying not under the baobab tree, but in a cave that smelled of dampness and fresh meat.


End file.
